Mets' Jose Reyes may not be ready to return when eligible, Terry Collins says

Mark J. Rebilas/US PresswireArizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Marquis reacts in pain in the fourth inning after breaking his right shinbone the previous inning and continuing in the game against the Mets tonight. The D-Backs won, 5-3.

PHOENIX — In a little more than a week, Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is eligible to leave the disabled list after straining his left hamstring for the second time this year. But manager Terry Collins doubts Reyes will be ready to go once he is eligible to return on Aug. 23.

Asked before today’s 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks if Reyes had resumed activity, Collins said no. “Not to my knowledge, he has not,” Collins said. “I know that when we left, they said for the next three days, he’s going to rest.”

Until Reyes can return, the Mets will have to make due with Ruben Tejada at short and Angel Pagan in the leadoff spot. But neither can replicate Reyes’ production in those roles.

Arizona starter Jason Marquis, the native New Yorker, left the game in bizarre fashion. In the third, his right fibula was fractured by a line drive off the bat of outfielder Angel Pagan. Marquis managed to finish the inning and enter the fourth.

Two batters into the inning, he whacked catcher Josh Thole on the knee with a sinker. At the same instant, Marquis clutched his leg. Trainers from both teams rushed to the field. Marquis’ day was done. He was the second Diamondback seriously injured this series. On Friday, Dillon Gee broke the hand of former Met Xavier Nady with a pitch.

Mike Pelfrey walked through the clubhouse this morning with a smile on his face. The storm he unintentionally created on Saturday had passed. Only a bruise remained on his right elbow, which absorbed a line drive that ended his start that evening.

Pelfrey said that the pain was gone as was the swelling around the area. He expected to throw his bullpen session on time and be available for his next start.

Another day meant another right fielder. Jason Pridie received the start yesterday, in part because Collins does not want Lucas Duda to rotate positions between first base and right field. And that’s even if Duda is expected to be one of the main competitors for the right-field job next spring.

“I’m not a big believer in flipping guys, especially young players, moving back and forth, back and forth,” Collins said.

The deadline to signfirst-round pick Brandon Nimmo expires Monday night at 11:59 p.m., but the Mets remain confident that they can ink the five-tool outfielder from Wyoming. Due to the odd nature of the MLB Draft, these deals are often not consummated until the final minutes before the deadline.

There was a special guest taking batting practice today. Charlie Sheen, the semi-embattled sitcom star, stopped by along with his friend, former Met Todd Zeile, to do some research apparently for his role in “Major League 3.”